Jerry Garcia Band – Fall Tour 1989

I had a lot of fun putting together that collection of Bob Dylan shows in 1978. So much so that I think I’ll do it more often. I probably won’t do entire years again as that was just a little too much, but it seems really fun to collect and share everything I can from different tours, or maybe a complete run at a certain venue. Or I could get creative and collect all the shows where an artist sat in with another band, or shows in a certain city, etc. Truth be told I’ve been getting bored sharing shows the way I have been and this seems like a fun way to spice things up. We’ll see how it goes.

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In September of 1989 the Jerry Garcia Band did a 12 show tour of the East Coast and parts of the Mid-West. For four of those dates Clarence Clemons joined them. Bruce Springsteen had recently told the E-Street Band that he wouldn’t be needing them for the indefinite future. With the band essentially broken up Clemons moved to Marin County, California looking for new musical adventures. There he befriended several members of the Grateful Dead including Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia. He guested on a few shows with the Dead and then joined the Jerry Band on this tour.

It is a great tour all around with Jerry in fine form. I feel like at this point Jerry often felt a little burnt out with the Dead. Their popularity was soaring and Jerry’s fame was enormous. With the Jerry Band even though he was more in the spotlight it likely seemed like a much more relaxed atmosphere. However he felt, his playing is on fire throughout this mini-tour.

What I love about Clemons playing on these dates is that he really feels like a member of the band. Often a guest artist tries to show off when he’s sitting in with another band. Here, Clemons gets in a few nice solos but mostly he’s just adding in texture and rhythm. It feels like he’s just another member of the ensemble.

The dates are as follows:

09/01/89
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia, MD

09/02/89
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Columbia ,MD

09/03/89
The Spectrum
Philadelphia, PA

09/05/89
Hartford Civic Center
Hartford, CT

09/06/89
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY

09/07/89
Meadowlands Arena
East Rutherford, NJ
w/Clarence Clemons

09/09/89
Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts
Mansfield, MA
w/Clarence Clemons

09/10/89
Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts
Mansfield, MA
w/Clarence Clemons

09/11/89
The Centrum
Worcester, MA
w/Clarence Clemons

09/13/89
Seashore Performing Arts Center
Old Orchard Beach, ME

09/15/89
Alpine Valley Music Theatre
East Troy, WI

09/16/89
Poplar Creek Music Theatre
Hoffman Estates, IL

I’ve got at least one source from each show, but I’m still missing several available sources. As a completist I want them all so if anyone has any of the others please let me know.